Salt shaker



May 6, 1930. I J DINSMQQR 1,757,297

SALT SHAKER Filed Jan. 2, 1929 a a n 7' a h 1? i'z 6 [IL ll 6 14 a 6 i" Ill 7 n J2 30M 53. 10

2 a wuwvnsrw ATTQRNEY Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED STATES JOHN L. DINSMOOR, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

SALT SHAKER Application filed January 2, 1929. Serial No. 329,746.

This invention relates to salt shakers and has for its object to provide a device of the character specified, simple in construction, dependable in operation and having means 5 for sealing against operation. With these and other objects in view which will appear later herein, my improvements comprise fea tures illustrated in their preferred embodi ment in the drawing accompanying this 3 this specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a salt shaker embodying my improvements, a portion being broken away to show the interior construction. Said Fig. 1 shows the device sealed against operation. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the shaker in operable condition. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the action of the hammer when the shaker is reversed.

20 The essential feature of my improvements consists in the peculiar and novel hammer 2 situated within cap 3 and which cap may be made of sheet metal, secured to the container member 4 by the usual screw thread 5. Said cap is provided with a row of vents 6, preferably about its periphery, just above the top edge 7 of container 4, when said cap is screwed down to its seat on said container.

Within the upper portion of cap 3 is 39 flanged hammer 2, having a body portion 8 of a diameter less than the inside diameter of the neck 9 of the container and having a flange 10 above said body portion when the hammer is in operable relation to cap 3. Said flange has a diameter suificiently great so that when body 8 contacts with one side of the inside of neck 9 or when flange 10 contacts with the inside of cap 8 said flange will cover at least a portion of the top edge 7 of the container on that side opposite to the point of contact of body 8 with said neck interior.

Also the total thickness of hammer 2 is slightly greater than the distance from the top of edge 7 of the container to the inside of the top of cap 3, so that when hammer 2, upon the reversal of the container, falls to the top of the inside of cap 3, see Fig.3, body portion 8 of the hammer will still be partly within the neck of the container.

Hammer 2 is preferably provided with circumferential groove 11 in flange 10, close to body 8 thereof, whereby the land 12 of said flange which engages the top edge of the con tainer is relatively narrow, thereby facilitating the breaking up of any small lumps in 55 the contents of the device which may present themselvesat this point. Also body 8 of said hammer is dished at 13 on its lower side, Fig. 2, whereby a relatively sharp edge 14 is provided for breaking up any possible lumps in the contents of the device, particularly when the device is reversed in use as in Fig. 3.

By removing cap 3 and reversing the position of hammer 2 from the showing of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 1, and then replacing the cap, a complete sealing of the device against the egress of the contents thereof or the entrance of dampness thereto is obtained.

In operation it will be observed that the hammer of my improved shaker has movement both vertically and transversely relatively to the container neck and the cap, thereby acting with the highest efiiciency. In its transverse movement it approaches very closely to or contacts with vents 6 in cap 3, thereby breaking lumps which may be present in said cap or vents and in its vertical movement it is further eflicient for breaking up any accumulation of contents material in .u the top of cap 3.

I claim: a

1. In a device of the character specified the combination of a container having a neck, a covering cap removably attached to said neck, said caphaving a plurality of vents and a hammer having a body normally seated within the upper end of said neck, said hammer having a flange extending over the opening of the upper end of said neck and normallyresting on the edge thereof and said hammer flange having a circumferential groove thereinun'der, adjacent the hammer body, whereby that portion of said flange which engages the container top, is made relatively narrow.

2. Ina device of the character specified thecombination of a container having "a neck,

a passage therethrough, a covering cap removably attached tojsaid neck, said cap having a plurality of vents about its periphery 3 and a hammer having a body normally seated for transverse movement, said hammer havthe passage through said neck, the transverse movement of said hammer being restricted to prevent the uncovering by the flange, of the neck passage.

8. In a device of the character specified the combination of a container having a neck, a covering cap removably attached to said neck, said cap having a plurality of vents about its periphery and a hammer having a bodynormally seated in the upper end of said neck, said hammer having a flange extending partly over the upper surface ofsaid neck and normally resting on said surface, said hammer body having a diameter less than the diameter of the inside of. said neck, said hammer flange having a diameter less than the diameter of the inside of the cap, the flange edge being opposite the peripheral vents in said cap, said hammer being adapted for transverse movement, the flange thereof being of suflicient diameter to cover the neck opening of the container at all times in its transverse movementover the neck end.

inthe upper end of said neck and adapted to the inside of the top of the cap and said hammer being adapted to be reversed in posimg a flange extending over the upper end of tion within the cap whereby the device may be sealed. 7

In witness whereof, I hereby afix my sig nature, this 28th day of December, 1928.

JOHN L. DINSMOOR.

4:. In a device of the character specified the combination of a container having a neck, a covering cap removably attached to said neck,said cap hav-ing a plurality of vents and a hammer having a body normally loosely seated in, the upper end of said neck, said hammer having a flange extending partly over the upper end of said neck and normally resting on said edge, said hammer body having a diameter less than the diameter of the inside of said neck, said hammer flange having a diameter of such extent as to cover the opening in said neck irrespective of the position of the hammer body relatively to the inside of said neck, said hammer body being dished at its under side whereby a relatively sharp edge is. provided to the lower edge of said body and said hammer flange having a circumferential groove thereinunder, adjacent the hammer body, whereby that portion of said flange which engages the container top is made relatively narrow.

5, In a device of'the character specified the combination of a container having a neck, a covering cap removably attached to said neck, said cap having a plurality of vents and a hammer having a body normally loosely seated in theupper end of said neck,

said hammer having a flange extending partly over the upper edge of said neck and normally resting on said edge, said hammer body having a diameter less than the diameter of the inside of said neck, said hammer flange having a diameter .of such extent'as to cover the opening in said neckirrespective ofthe position of the hammer body relatively to the inside of said neck, the thickness of said hammer being slightly greater than the distance from the top edge of the container 

